21
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, , ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 21, 2015

Last week's economic releases included several reports related to housing. The Wells Fargo/ NAHB Housing Market Index achieved its highest reading in nearly 10 years. Housing Starts dipped in August and Building Permits issued in August exceeded July expectations. The week's big news was actually no news. The Fed's Federal Open Market Committee decided not to raise interest rates. Fed Chair Janet Yellen followed up on the FOMC statement with a press conference and said that the Fed is not yet ready to raise rates, but that a majority of FOMC members are prepared to raise rates before year-end. Inflation…
Read More
20
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

FOMC Minutes: Rate Hike May be Near

The minutes for the most recent meeting of the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) suggest that while committee members won't specify a date, a rate hike could come sooner than later. Committee members continue to cite concerns over labor markets and other economic factors, but the minutes of the FOMC meeting held July 28 and 29 indicate that a majority of members see a rate change as likely in the near term. Economic Conditions "Approaching" Readiness for Rate Hike According to the minutes released Wednesday, the time for raising rates is not hear yet, but a majority of…
Read More
10
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, , ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 10, 2015

This week's scheduled economic news includes reports on construction spending, a survey of senior loan officers, and reports on labor markets including ADP private sector jobs, the federal government's reports on non-farm payrolls, core inflation and the national unemployment rate. Construction Spending Slows, Loan Officers Survey Suggests Growing Confidence Construction spending fell in June after the May reading was revised upward to 1.89 percent from the original reading of 0.90 percent. Spending for residential construction rose by 0.40 percent, while non-residential construction spending remained flat. The seasonally-adjusted annual outlay for construction was $1.06 billion in June. Analysts continue to note…
Read More
03
Aug
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 3, 2015

Last week's scheduled economic reports included the Case-Shiller 20 and 20-City Index reports, pending home sales data released by the National Association of Realtors® and the scheduled post-meeting statement of the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee. Case-Shiller: Home Prices Growing at Normal Pace The Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price index for May reported that year-over-year home prices grew by 4.40 percent year-over-year. S & P Index Committee Chair David M Blitzer said that home prices are increasing gradually by four to five percent a year as compared to double-digit percentages seen in 2013. Mr. Blitzer said that home price growth…
Read More
30
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

Federal Reserve FOMC Announcement

The stage was set in high suspense for FOMC's post-meeting announcement on Wednesday. As fall approaches, analysts and the media are looking for any sign of when and how much the Fed will raise its target federal funds rate. According to CNBC, some analysts were projecting two interest rate hikes before year end, but the truth of the matter remains unknown until the Federal Open Market Committee announces its intentions. Meanwhile, reports of what Fed rate hikes will mean for consumers were released prior to the FOMC statement. Real estate analyst Mark Hanson said that a rate hike would "crush"…
Read More
13
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 13, 2015

Last week's scheduled economic events were few due to the Independence Day holiday. Freddie Mac's weekly survey of mortgage rates brought good news as mortgage rates fell across the board. The Federal Reserve released the minutes of its most recent Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting and weekly jobless claims rose. Job Openings Rise to Highest Level Since 2000 The Labor Department reported that U.S. job openings rose from April's reading of 5.33 million to 5.36 million job openings in May. This was the highest reading for job openings since the report's inception in 2000. Private sector job openings rose…
Read More